


Depictions Notwithstanding Irrelevancy

by Raktajinhoe



Series: Artistic Intent [1]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, Kathryn is a fan, Seven can draw really well, even though art is irrelevant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-13 16:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16021715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raktajinhoe/pseuds/Raktajinhoe
Summary: Kathryn insists Seven learn to draw. She is delighted by the result.





	1. Sketch

**Author's Note:**

> I realized Seven of Nine is probably an incredibly talented artist given her superior ocular abilities as well as having the experience of assimilated cultures.  
> This is the first time I've ever posted a fanfic so comments are invited, please.

“You should learn to draw, Seven—I bet you’d be great at it,” Kathryn said. The former drone gave her a strange look, almost haughty. Of course, to most people, it would simply look like the woman had no expression at all, but Kathryn had learned the subtle hints that Seven gave as to how she was really feeling, like her chin moving up just a bit, her almost unnoticeable flare of the nose.

“Art is irrelevant. Drawing is no more productive than clay sculpting.” Seven said, and Kathryn sighed.

“It isn’t, Seven. Art is important to understanding humanity. In fact, art often drove scientific progress in humanity’s past.” She said, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling with a yawn—she was getting too old for this. Whatever ‘this’ was. She couldn’t be sure anymore. These days Seven seemed less like a pupil and more and more like a… well, she’d heard the rumors.

“History is irrelevant.” Seven said, ever stubborn. Kathryn groaned, shutting her eyes and curling over onto her side. This would go nowhere at the current rate, and the doctor kept demanding she get at least six hours of sleep a night.

“I’m too tired for this. Learn some kind of art—that’s an order.” Kathryn said, taking on an air of false imperiousness. Seven said something that Kathryn was too sleepy to parse, and as she fell asleep the last sensation she remembered was the feeling of a blanket being draped over her.

When Kathryn woke up the younger woman was gone. For some reason she didn’t entirely understand… that hurt.

A week later she was in her room—reading over reports and nursing her fourth cup of coffee—when she heard a knock.

“Come in.”

Seven of Nine stepped in half a moment after the door slid open, carrying a sketchbook in one arm and standing with a rigid posture.

“Seven?” Kathryn questioned. “Is that—”

“I have completed your order, captain. The entire sketchbook is filled.” Seven said, opening up the sketchbook and handing it to Kathryn. The older woman barely noticed the rigidly controlled hint of apprehension on Seven’s face, apparent in the slight furrow in her forehead and the curve to her eyebrows. Her lips were firmly set, but Kathryn detected a slight downturn.

“Did you enjoy it?” Kathryn asked, looking into the woman’s eyes and scanning for a flicker of emotion—ah, a slight upturn in the corner of her mouth.

“It was… surprisingly pleasant.”

“Let me see,” Kathryn said, taking hold of the sketchbook and looking at the first page.

A drawing of herself glared back at her—face set in a fierce expression, brows furrowed and mouth in a tight line, hair strewn about and yet somehow beautiful, she thought. Maybe it was her eyes, just as angry as the rest of her and burning gray-blue with passion, or her lips, which Seven seemed to have spent a long time on. The drawing was incredible—a masterpiece.

She flipped to the next page. It was another drawing of her face, this time in a three-quarters view and looking almost overjoyed, showing most of her teeth in a brilliant smile.

The next page was another drawing of her, this time her entire upper body lying on her side. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was hanging open, and she was embarrassed to realize there was a bit of drool—she looked up and saw Seven, who was looking more anxious than before.

“Seven, you drew me?” She asked, slightly incredulous and yet brimming with happiness. Seven looked at her, eyes widening slightly and mouth parting. After a moment she began to speak.

“Are you… pleased, captain?” She asked, and Kathryn smiled widely.

“Very much so, Seven. These are really good. How many of these are of me?”

“Precisely half. The others are star charts or engineering plans.” Seven said, full of pride. Kathryn gave her another, gentler smile.

“Could I have some of them? These are beautiful and I would like to frame a few of them—if you don’t mind. Good for my ego.” Kathryn gushed, flipping through to see more drawings of herself, as well as beautiful and seemingly perfectly precise star maps and designs for various improvements for the ship. In each of them, signed in the corner with precise penmanship—almost like typeface, was ‘Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01’.

“Of course, captain.” Seven was actually smiling now, cheeks slightly red, and she was far too dazzling, pale blue eyes seeming warm and full of life. Janeway’s heart fluttered, and she realized that perhaps the Borg woman might have a crush on her.

Perhaps she had feelings for Seven as well, she realized with alarm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said—comments are welcome, especially constructive criticism. I plan on doing a sequel that gets an explicit rating, so if you liked this one I guess wait for that.


	2. Likeness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven asks to draw Kathryn, and surprises them both.

Kathryn sat on her couch and waited for Seven to arrive, clutching the replicated sketchbook to her chest with trembling hands. She assumed that was due to coffee withdrawal—what else could it be? At her side was a box of pencils of different hardness—she wasn’t entirely sure what the difference was, not being much of a drawer, but Seven surely did—and other assorted supplies. She wasn’t entirely sure why she’d felt the need to spend the last of her rations since Seven had many so stored up, but the younger woman had often brought her a cup of coffee when her shares had run out, so perhaps Kathryn owed her. Yes—a debt, that had to be it. Certainly not the feelings that she was certainly not developing for the ex-drone.

The beautiful ex-drone, with flaxen hair and icy blue eyes that made her knees weak. The ex-drone with a figure that seemed almost unreal, with sensuous lips, with implants that perhaps should have turned her away and yet never had. The ex-drone with a brilliant mind and a wonderfully odd way of showing it. _The ex-drone who is ten years younger than you, and a member of your crew_ , she reminded herself.

She almost jumped out of her chair at the knock on the door, and when she’d steadied herself she realized she was holding the sketchbook tightly enough to warp it—her tendons were easily visible—and quickly let it go before standing up.

“Come in.” She heard herself say, sounding far more confident than she felt. The door slid open and there stood Seven, who waited a few moments before entering. Her steps were even more stilted than before, and in the way her arms were wrapped around herself Kathryn knew the woman was just as nervous as she was.

“Captain.” Seven said, approaching her with those long legs that… that she wasn’t supposed to be thinking about, damn it!

“Seven.” Kathryn forced a smile, stepping forward to meet her. Before she could stop herself she was brushing the woman’s shoulder lightly with her hand, causing Seven to visibly relax—though it had the opposite effect on Kathryn, who stiffened up when she realized just how often she touched the woman.

“You called for me?”

“Well, yes. I have a gift for you.” Kathryn said, turning around and walking back to the pile of art materials.

“Captain—that was entirely unnecessary.” Seven said reproachfully. Kathryn shook her head, gathering up the supplies in her arms and proffering them. Seven looked down at them, still unsure, before grabbing them.

“Thank you, Captain.” Seven said, and suddenly her title had never been more infuriating.

“Kathryn. Call me Kathryn, at least when we’re in private.” Kathryn ordered, sounding a bit more like a captain than she would have liked at the moment.

“Yes. Thank you, Kathryn.” Seven said. Kathryn put a hand on the wall—that was… Seven’s voice was too much—too sweet.

“Are you alright, Kathryn?” Seven asked, eyes seeming to dissect her, though not unkindly.

“Y-yes, Seven. I’m fine. Just… haven’t had my afternoon coffee.” She said, exaggerating a yawn. Seven’s eyes widened slightly, and she looked down at the art supplies, then back at Kathryn with a narrowed gaze.

“Kathryn, you—” Seven cut off as Kathryn nodded.

“It’s fine, Seven.”

Seven set the art supplies down, turning and walking to the replicator. She quietly input her code, asked for a black coffee, retrieved it, and walked back.

“Here.” She said, and Kathryn couldn’t help but smile as she grabbed the drink and gulped it down eagerly, instantly feeling steadier—even though it was hot enough to burn the inside of her mouth.

“Thank—thank you.” She said, waving at her mouth as if that would help cool it down, and Seven gave a tiny smile.

Kathryn was suddenly very glad that she wasn’t one to blush.

“I’m glad you took to art, Seven.” She said, and the former drone’s smile widened—still nearly invisible, of course.

“Thank you, Kathryn,”—God, she would never get used to that—“Would you allow me to draw you?”

“You already do,” Kathryn said, giving her a confused look, and Seven frowned almost imperceptibly.

“I meant now.” Seven said. “Kathryn.”

Kathryn took a deep breath before nodding, suddenly overwhelmed.

“Of—course, Seven. What do you need me to do?”

“Simply take a seat and I will direct you.”

Kathryn did as instructed, setting her coffee down on the nearby table and sitting. She decided to strike a pose as Seven opened her sketchbook, laying an arm across the top of the couch and resting her chin on her palm as dramatically as she could.

She strained her eyes to glance over at Seven, who was still standing. The woman was staring at her, eyes nearly glazed over.

“Seven,” Kathryn said, and the woman startled.

“Sorry.” Seven said, beginning to draw. Kathryn sat in silence for a long time, with the only noise in the room being the two women breathing as well as the scratching sound of pencil on paper.

Then Seven flipped the page.

“Kathryn, if you would move?” She said, and the older woman shifted, turning so she could look more clearly at the young beauty. She ended up settling on a more normal pose this time, hands in her lap and simply gazing at Seven. The young woman began to draw once again, eyes becoming calculating, and yet somehow warm.

Kathryn took the chance to admire Seven. The young woman was, as always, stunningly beautiful, and Kathryn ended up staring at her neck, the curves and arch that led down to her collarbone, the creamy and untouched skin there. For a moment—only a moment, she wondered what it might be like to kiss the woman there, to bite down... She wondered if she could get the woman to lose her always perfect composure and cry out or moan.

Then she remembered Seven was staring directly at her. Kathryn looked away as her cheeks got hot and she realized that she was blushing—something she’d been glad she didn’t do mere moments ago. She didn’t dare to look back, but she thought Seven might have had a healthy pink tint to her cheeks as well.

She had to be deluding herself of course—just a childish crush on a woman far too young for her that was causing her to hope for some measure of reciprocation. Even if it was reciprocated, she knew they could never be together. Still, some foolish part of her couldn’t help but hope, just a bit, that the beautiful girl felt the same way.

“I am done, Kathryn.” Seven said, and Kathryn realized she’d been gazing off into space, lost in thought.

“Sorry.” She mumbled, and Seven began to flip the page when she reached her arm out.

“Wait—I want to see this one.” She said, and Seven’s hand paused. Kathryn noted that the woman was drawing with her left hand—the Borg one. Seven stepped forward, handing her the notebook with just a hint of reluctance.

Kathryn looked down at herself and gasped.

“Seven—” She cut herself off, too flustered to say anything. The Kathryn that was gazing up at her looked more beautiful than she’d ever seen herself, even better than Seven’s previous drawings. The problem was that desire was written all over her face. Her lips were slightly parted, and her eyes were heavily lidded—it was impossible to ignore the lust in them.

“Yes, Kathryn?”

“I…” She trailed off, unable to say anything.

“May I continue?” Seven asked, grabbing the sketchbook but not pulling it out of Kathryn’s grasp.

“You—go ahead.” Kathryn stammered, fighting off the urge to run away that was quickly building in her. Seven retrieved the sketchbook and flipped to the next page.

“Close your eyes.” Seven said. Kathryn followed the order without question, screwing her eyes tightly shut and grimacing. _You owe her that much._

“Loosen them.” Seven ordered. Kathryn nodded, letting them drift open and then fall closed again, this time more comfortably. After a few moments the familiar sound of Seven drawing returned, and Kathryn allowed herself to relax. Seven didn’t know or didn’t care, she assumed, and the woman had been obtuse about feelings in the past. A sudden surge of guilt shot through her and she winced.

The younger woman might have no idea that a woman she trusted as her mentor, as her captain, as her friend, had feelings for her. If she did, she was probably saying nothing out of fear of losing the relationship.

“Return to your former expression.” Seven said. Kathryn nodded jerkily, going back to a forced smile.

“Sorry.” She said, under her breath, and Seven made a noise of acknowledgment. The sound of drawing halted and Kathryn heard quiet footsteps padding closer to her. She began to breathe more deeply, trying to steady her nerves as her thoughts began to race.

“Stay still.” Seven urged, just before Kathryn would have opened her eyes.

Seven’s footsteps grew closer and suddenly stopped, close enough that Kathryn could almost hear her breathing, feel her body heat in the air—the woman was leaning over her, so close that Kathryn’s heart began to pound and she went pale.

A hand brushed against her neck, and Seven spoke, breath tickling Kathryn's face.

“May I?” She asked, nestling the hand into Kathryn’s hair.

Several seconds passed, Kathryn’s heart trying to tear itself out of her chest and beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

She nodded, and ridiculously soft lips brushed against her own, a gentle caress that moved away after a far too short second.

Kathryn’s eyes shot open to see Seven staring at her, eyes fully open.

“Seven—!”

“Kathryn.” Seven said, drawing back, and as her hand moved away from Kathryn’s neck the older woman felt a strong sense of loss. Seven suddenly shot away, eyes widening momentarily before she regained control of herself.

“I was... merely recording your response.” She said quietly, and Kathryn was too stunned to say anything before the woman set her sketchbook down and half fled the room.

“Damn.” Kathryn murmured, rubbing her lips with a tentative finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to skip straight to the explicit stuff in a sequel but for now I'm just continuing this until I get to a place where it could happen naturally. I'm not entirely sure how to write kissing so expect more attempts at that as well, but I'll try to get there soon!


	3. Study

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven needs more data, even if she doesn't know it yet. Kathryn obliges her.

“Seven, we need to talk. Now.” Kathryn said, grabbing the woman by her arms and pulling her into an alcove in the hall. Seven made no effort to resist, going near-limp in her arms. When Kathryn inspected her face she found the signs of barely-hidden terror.

“Sorry.” She said, dropping her arms from Seven’s shoulders and stepping back. Seven looked at her and then at the floor, where her gaze lingered.

“I just—I need to talk to you.” Seven shifted her pose, standing completely straight.

“Yes, captain?” Seven asked, voice wavering only slightly.

“I thought I told you to call me Kathryn when we're alone.” The older woman whispered, saddened. Seven regretted the kiss—she knew it. The young woman had avoided her for the past few days, giving her a nod in the hallway but no hello, not responding to personal messages and being even more laconic than usual at the weekly status update, leaving as soon as it ended.

“Sorry, Kathryn.” Seven said, voice stiff. She took a step back, further widening the distance between them, and looked back up at Kathryn while sticking her arms behind herself.

“You wanted to talk?” She prompted, and Kathryn startled, eyes widening.

“Oh—yes.” She said. She’d gotten distracted by Seven’s movements, wondering how she felt and if the woman would stay this distant for any longer—she couldn’t take much more of it.

“You left your sketchbook in my room.” She said, and then cursed herself. _Tell her what you really came here for, Katie!_ The words wouldn’t come out, though. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t entirely sure what she had come to say, not anymore.

“I apologize. I will retrieve it at your earliest convenience.” Seven said.

“That would be now,” Kathryn said, stepping forward and bringing her hands together.

“Let’s go.” She said before Seven could excuse herself. The woman said nothing at all, and when Kathryn walked away, she followed two paces behind. Neither of them said anything as they walked, Seven maintaining a careful distance, stopping precisely when Kathryn looked back at her and starting again the exact moment Kathryn began walking again.

They arrived at Kathryn’s door, and she let Seven in, stepping inside after her and asking the computer to raise the lights to 50%.

Sitting on the table where the ex-drone left it was the sketchbook, still open to the half-finished sketch of Kathryn grinning with closed eyes.

Kathryn had spent long hours looking at that drawing, rubbing her lip and wondering what had inspired Seven to kiss her. It certainly was a vulnerable pose, one that was almost voyeuristic—like she was smiling to herself, unaware that she was being gazed at. Kathryn couldn’t help but like that, somehow.

She wondered what she was doing, bringing Seven to her room. The right thing to do, the Starfleet thing to do, would be to calmly and clearly tell Seven that they could not kiss again, that whatever was forming between them could not come to anything. Every time she thought about saying it, however, her fingers returned to her lips, and she couldn’t help but remember the feeling of Seven of Nine’s mouth against her own.

She’d tried to force herself to forget that brief moment, to ignore what it had meant for her, tried to reason away Seven’s actions as being purely for artistic purposes, as the woman had claimed. Still, try as she might, the kiss that so gentle that it was like a whisper, a dream that was ripped away before she could hold on to it… it was burned into her memory.

Seven stepped forward, gathering up the sketchbook and various art supplies, and stood at attention, watching Kathryn carefully. After about ten seconds she began to turn before Kathryn raised her hands.

“Wait, Seven.”

Seven stopped, looking at Kathryn intently, to the point it made her slightly uncomfortable and she had to look away.

“Would you um, finish the drawing?”

Seven nodded.

“I recommend you sit down.” She said, setting most of the art supplies back down except for a selection of pencils and beginning to draw.

“You don’t need me to pose or anything?” Kathryn asked, slightly confused. Seven raised her optical implant slightly.

“I possess an eidetic memory, Kathryn.”

“Good point.”

After several minutes Seven flipped the page over and began drawing anew.

“What are you doing?” Kathryn asked.

“Completing the drawing, as requested,” Seven began, and Kathryn raised a brow. “The first drawing was halfway complete when I decided to kiss you to note your reaction.” Seven said, face completely blank except for a slight redness of the cheeks.

Kathryn gulped, feeling her face heat up and her heart beginning to race. Her hand unconsciously went to her lips once again, and she cursed herself when she realized what she’d done.

“Oh.”

Seven finished the drawing and finished the page while Kathryn pointedly stared at the wall. The woman was drawing rapidly—hand almost blurring while scratches rang out, and after Kathryn finally turned to look she noted a determined look begin to appear on Seven's face. She found it to be almost… cute. Then the expression deepened, and it was definitely cute, and Kathryn found herself grinning for the next few minutes as she watched the woman.

Seven flipped the page again, and Kathryn sighed.

“This is the last sketch.” Seven said, a note of humor in her voice.

“Good,” Kathryn said, sprawling out on the couch and closing her eyes.

She must’ve drifted off, because Seven brushed her shoulder and she startled, sitting up rapidly.

“I’ve finished the drawings. Do you wish to see them?” Seven asked, ignoring Kathryn’s surprise, thankfully.

Kathryn nodded, blinking the haziness away and stretching. She was almost purring by the end of her arc, back arched completely, and then she saw Seven’s gaze and blushed.

“Sorry.” She said, and Seven said nothing, smiling slightly. She flipped the sketchbook back to the original drawing and handed it to Kathryn.

Kathryn couldn’t help but smile as she looked at the drawing. Everything about it was perfect, from her eyelashes to her smile, and it truly seemed as if Seven knew how to make her look as beautiful as possible. She flipped to the next page, and her mouth dropped.

It was from the moment before Seven kissed her—her eyes were still closed but now her brows were raised, far more vulnerable than before, and her lips had parted in a slight pout. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked absolutely desperate.

She flipped to the next page before she could say anything, knowing she would end up making a fool of herself.

In this one her mouth was hanging open, eyes lifting halfway open and brows raised, and she realized it was the moment immediately after Seven kissed her. She looked up to see Seven of Nine giving her a curious, almost nervous look, and smiled at her.

“These are good.” She said almost absently, observing the drawing for a moment longer, and when she looked up she saw Seven’s smile which in turn widened her own. She flipped the page again and felt sick.

No wonder Seven had been avoiding her.

Her face was twisted in a horrible grimace, brows furrowed and eyes hooded. This had to be the moment after the kiss—when she’d realized what had happened and how much of a problem it was, even if she wanted nothing more than to grab the woman and kiss her again. If the younger woman had seen this… she must’ve thought that Kathryn had hated it.

“Seven…” Kathryn trailed off, unsure of what to say. If she let this go—the problem would be solved, Seven would think she’d hated the kiss, and maybe she could begin to get over the woman. If she let this go… Seven looked at her, posture tight and hands wrapped around her chest, grimacing herself.

“I’m sorry, Kathryn.” Seven said, voice breaking, and Kathryn felt any resolve shatter to pieces.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Kathryn said, standing up and handing the woman the sketchbook. Seven gave her an empty look before quickly grabbing her supplies and turning around. Kathryn grabbed her by the arm before she could move.

“Seven.” She said, and the ex-drone turned around. Kathryn glared at her fiercely, shaking her head when the woman tried to turn away. Seven trembled in her grasp, looking down on her with wet eyes that promised tears—Kathryn had never been able to affect her with even her most forceful gazes before, and yet Seven was near tears, and Kathryn couldn't think of a way to stop her. She desperately tried to think of a way to comfort the young woman, and before Kathryn knew what she was doing she had wrapped her arms around the woman and planted her lips on Seven’s mouth, which was slightly open in surprise.

The positioning was awkward, with Seven having to lean forward and holding several items in her arms, but the woman deepened the kiss and pulled Kathryn closer to herself, while Kathryn did much the same, until they were passionately taking each other's mouths.

When they finally parted both women were panting, and Kathryn had to fight to collect herself enough to speak.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d collected enough data.” She said, breathing raggedly, and Seven took several moments to look at her before speaking, lips still parted.

“I had not, Kathryn. In fact, I still have yet to.”

“Well, we can’t have that, can we? Come here.” Kathryn laughed, beckoning her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's done. Sequel coming soon! Let me know how you felt please!


End file.
